Apparatus for inspecting display board or circuit board

ABSTRACT

To enable exchange of a display board or a circuit board generally in an occupation space at the time of inspection of a board, to eliminate the need of a side space which is conventionally needed for use of exchange, and to greatly miniaturize an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board. An apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board in which an inspection terminal  4  of an inspection probe block B is press contacted for inspection with an electrode pad  3  of a display board or a circuit portion P, wherein a probe block supporting frame member  2  is of an enlargable and reducible structure, the probe block supporting frame member  2  is enlarged and a board supporting frame member  1  is relatively advanced, and by the relative advancement of the board supporting frame member  1,  the display board or the circuit board P is caused to protrude forward of a distal end of the terminal  4  of the probe block B through an enlarged opening portion  16  of the probe supporting frame member  2,  so that the display board or the circuit board P supported on the board supporting frame member  1  can be exchanged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board, and more particularly to a mechanism for exchanging a display board or a circuit board in an inspection apparatus.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Conventionally, an inspection of a display board or a circuit board as represented by a liquid crystal panel and a plasma display panel is carried out in the following manner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a probe supporting frame member 2 for supporting an inspection probe block B thereon is arranged in a front part, and a board supporting frame member 1 for supporting a display board or a circuit board P thereon is arranged at a rear part. The board supporting frame member 1 arranged on a rear part arranged on a front part is relatively movably arranged for advancement and retraction with respect to the probe block supporting frame member 2. An inspection terminal 4 of the inspection probe block B supported on the board supporting frame member 1 is press contacted for inspection with an electrode pad 3 of the display board or the circuit board P supported on the board supporting frame member 1 by advancement of the board supporting frame member 1. After the completion of the inspection, the board supporting frame member 1 is retracted sideways and the board supporting frame member 1 is retreated sideways so that the display board or the circuit board P can be exchanged.

[0005] Accordingly, the conventional inspection apparatus needs an occupation space for exchange besides an occupation space of the display board or the circuit board for inspection. For this reason, the conventional inspection apparatus is inevitably made large in size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board, in which no occupation space for exchanging a display board or a circuit board is needed, the apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board can be miniaturized, and a display board or a circuit board can easily and safely be exchanged at a front surface of a probe block supporting frame member without allowing interference between an inspection terminal of a probe block and a display board or a circuit board.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board, wherein the probe block supporting frame member is of an enlargable and reducible structure, the probe block supporting frame member is enlarged and the board supporting frame member is relatively advanced, and by the relative advancement of the board supporting frame member, the display board or the circuit board is caused to protrude forward of a distal end of the terminal of the probe block through an enlarged opening portion of the probe supporting frame member, so that the display board or the circuit board supported on the board supporting frame member can be exchanged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a relative position between a probe supporting frame member and a board supporting frame member, by way of showing a contact releasing state thereof;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a relative position between a probe supporting frame member and a board supporting frame member, by way of showing a contacting state thereof;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a relative arrangement of a probe supporting frame member and a board supporting frame member at the time of exchanging a display board or a circuit board;

[0011]FIG. 4(A) is a front view showing a relative arrangement between a separate type probe supporting frame member which is in an enlarge state and a board supporting frame member, and FIG. 4(B) and 4(C) are sectional views showing a relative arrangement of between a separate type probe supporting frame member which is in an enlarged state and a board at the time of exchanging the board;

[0012]FIG. 5(A) is a front view showing a relative arrangement between a probe supporting frame member which is in an enlarged state and a board supporting frame member when in a standby position for inspection and FIG. 5(B) is a sectional view thereof;

[0013]FIG. 6(A) is a front view showing a relative arrangement between a probe supporting frame member which is in an reduced state and a board supporting frame member when inspection is undergoing and FIG. 6(B) is a sectional view thereof;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a front view showing a reduced state of a probe supporting frame member which is cross assembled;

[0015]FIG. 8 is a front view showing an enlarged state of a cross assembled probe supporting frame member;

[0016]FIG. 9 is an enlarged front view of a cross assembly portion of a crossed assembled panel supporting frame member; and

[0017]FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a cross assembly portion of a cross assembled panel supporting frame member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] One embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. An apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board according to this embodiment comprises, as illustrated, a probe block supporting frame member 2 having an enlargable and reducible structure on which an inspection probe block B is supported, and a board supporting frame member 1 on which a display board or a circuit board P as an object to be inspected is supported. The probe block supporting frame member 2 on which the inspection probe block B is supported is arranged at a front part and the board supporting frame member 1 on which the display board or the circuit board P is supported is arranged at a rear part. The board supporting frame member 1 located at a rear part and the probe supporting frame member 2 located at a front part are relatively movably arranged for advancement and retraction.

[0019] The probe block B is composed of a plate or sheet having a plurality of leads arranged in array thereon and adhered to a folder block. One end of each lead is protruded from the folder block to form a terminal 4. The terminal 4 is press contacted with an electrode pad 3 of the display board or the circuit board P. Relation between each terminal 4 and each electrode pad 3 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the probe supporting frame member 2 is provided with an attachment means such as attachment hole 5 for threadingly attaching the probe block B. The probe block B is threadingly attached to the probe supporting frame member 2 such that the terminals 4 are protruded towards an opening portion 16 of the frame member 2.

[0021] One preferred example of the probe block supporting frame member 2 is shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 in which frame materials 12, 13, 14, 15 at four sides are cross assembled so that the probe block supporting frame member 2 may have an enlargable and reducible structure. Another preferred example of the probe block supporting frame member 2 is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 in which the frame materials 12, 13, 14, 15 are separated and independent such that the probe block supporting frame member 2 may have an enlargable and reducible structure.

[0022] A driving mechanism for enlarging and reducing the frame materials 12 to 15 comprises a motor 6, a ball screw 7 rotated by the motor 6 and a nut 8 threadingly engaged with the ball screw 7 and attached to the frame materials 12, 13, 14 15. When the ball screw 7 is rotated by the motor 6, the nut 8 and the frame materials 12 to 15 are advanced or retracted depending on the direction of rotation. An amount of advancement or retraction is set by the number of rotation of the ball screw 7. Thus, an amount of enlargement and reduction of the opening portion 16 of the probe supporting frame member 2 is established.

[0023] On the other hand, the board supporting frame member 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 is supported by a driving mechanism which is advanced forward and retracted backward. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the board supporting frame member 1 has a plurality of suction holes 11 which are open at a panel supporting surface and spacedly arranged in array in a longitudinal direction. Two to four sides of the display board or the circuit board P are suckingly retained by the suction holes 11 so that the board P is attachable and detachable.

[0024] The frame materials 12 to 15 composing the probe supporting frame member 2 are retracted to enlarge the opening portion 16 defined by the frame materials 12 to 15. And the board supporting frame member 1 is relatively advanced. Due to advancement of the board supporting frame member 1, the display board or the circuit board P is protruded forward of a distal end of the terminal 4 of the probe block B through the enlarged opening portion 16, so that the display board or the circuit board P supported on the board supporting frame member 1 can be exchanged.

[0025] Under most ordinary practice, the relative advancement of the board supporting frame member 1 is made by directly protruding the board supporting frame member 1 forward. However, there are two other methods in one of which the probe supporting frame member 2 is retracted backward to protrude the board supporting frame member 1 forward and in the remaining one of which both the probe supporting frame member 2 and the board supporting frame member 1 are moved to protrude the board supporting frame member 1 forward.

[0026] The procedure for attaching, inspecting and exchanging the display board or the circuit board P using the separated independent type probe supporting frame member 2 of FIGS. 4 to 6 will be described hereinafter. The exchanging procedure will be described with reference to FIG. 4 first.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the frame materials 12 to 15 at the four sides of the probe supporting frame member 2 are retracted on an open surface of the frame member from a reduction position (inspection position) by the driving mechanism, thereby enlarging the opening portion 16 so as to be larger than the board supporting frame member 1.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4(B) and 4(C), the board supporting frame member 1 is advanced in a direction orthogonal to the open surface of the frame member from the rear standby position so that the display board or the circuit board P is protruded forward together with the board supporting frame member 1. That is to say, due to enlargement of the probe supporting frame member 2, the board supporting frame member 1 is retracted to a position where the terminal 4 does not interfere with the display board or the circuit board P. Otherwise, due to enlargement of the probe supporting frame member 2, the board supporting frame member 1 is retracted to a position where the terminal 4 does not interfere with the board P and the board supporting frame member 1. Then, the board supporting frame member 1 is advanced so that at least the board P is protruded to the front surface side of the terminal 4 through the enlarged opening portion 16.

[0029] In that state, the sucking retaining of the board P is released to remove the board P from the board supporting frame member 1. Otherwise, the board P is removed from the board supporting frame member 1 without releasing the sucking retaining and then the sucking retaining is released.

[0030] Then, a new display board or a new circuit board P is placed on the board supporting frame member 1 and suckingly retained. Subsequently, the board supporting frame member 1 is retracted in a direction orthogonal to the open surface of the frame member 2 so as to form a rear standby position.

[0031] Then, the inspecting procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. After the board supporting frame member 1 is retracted to the standby position indicated by an imaginary line of FIG. 4(C), the frame materials 12 to 15 composing the probe supporting frame member 2 are, as shown in FIG. 5, advanced on the open surface of the frame member 2 to reduce the opening portion 16 of the probe supporting frame member 2 so that the terminal 4 of the probe block B is located above the corresponding electrode pad 3.

[0032] Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the board supporting frame member 1 is moved forward in a direction orthogonal to the open surface of the frame member 2 from the rear standby position, so that the electrode pads 3 of the display board or the circuit board P are press contacted with the corresponding terminals 4 of the probe block B.

[0033] Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the board supporting frame member 1 is moved forward in a direction orthogonal to the open surface of the frame member 2 from the rear standby position so that the electrode pads 3 of the display board or the circuit board P are press contacted with the corresponding terminals 4 of the probe block B. In that state, electric current is supplied to carry out an inspection. After the completion of inspection, the board supporting frame member 1 is retraced again to the rear standby position. Then, as described with reference to FIG. 4, the probe supporting frame member 2 is enlarged and the board supporting frame member 1 is advanced so that the board P can be exchanged.

[0034] As previously mentioned, if the probe supporting frame member 2 is retracted to a position where at least the distal end portion of each terminal 4 does not interfere with the corresponding display board or the circuit board P, the exchange can be carried out within the occupation space at the time of inspection.

[0035] The procedure for cross assembling the probe supporting frame member 2 such that the probe supporting frame member 2 can be enlarged and reduced and the exchange of the display board or the circuit board P is carried in that state. The probe supporting frame member 2 comprises cross assembled four frame materials 12 to 15 composing the four sides.

[0036] One pair of opposing frame materials 12, 14 are movably supported for advancement and retraction on the open surface of the frame member 2 in an X axis direction by the driving mechanism, and the other one pair of opposing frame materials 13, 15 are movably supported for advancement and retraction on the open surface of the frame member 2 in a Y axis direction by the driving mechanism.

[0037] One end of the frame material 13 is cross assembled with an inner side of one end of the frame material 12, and one end of the frame material 14 is cross assembled with an inner side of the other end of the frame material 13. Similarly, one end of the frame material 15 is cross assembled with an inner side of the other end of the frame material 14 and the other end of the frame material 12 is cross assembled with an inner side of the other end of the frame material 15.

[0038] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a rail 9 extending in a Y axis direction along inner sides of the frame material 12 and the frame material 14 is disposed between the mutually orthogonal frame materials 12 and 13 and between the mutually orthogonal frame materials 14 and 15. On the other hand, a slider 10 for slidingly engaged with the rail 9 is disposed on the frame material 13 and the frame material 15. Owing to this arrangement, when the slider 10 is slidingly moved along the rail 9, the frame material 13 and the frame material 15 are guided to move in the Y axis direction.

[0039] Likewise, a rail 9 extending in an X axis direction along inner sides of the frame material 13 and the frame material 15 is disposed between the frame materials 13 and 14 and between the frame materials 13 and 15. On the other hand, a slider 10 for slidingly engaged with the rail 9 is disposed on the frame material 14 and the frame material 12. Owing to this arrangement, when the slider 10 is slidingly moved along the rail 9, the frame material 14 and the frame material 12 are guided to move in the X axis direction.

[0040] A driving mechanism for enlarging and reducing the frame materials 12 to 15 comprises a motor 6, a ball screw 7 rotated by the motor 6 and a nut 8 threadingly engaged with the ball screw 7 and attached to the frame materials 12 to 15. When the ball screw 7 is rotated by the motor 6, the nut 8 and the frame materials 12 to 15 are advanced or retracted depending on the direction of rotation. An amount of advancement or retraction is set by the number of rotation of the ball screw 7. Thus, an amount of enlargement and reduction of the opening portion 16 of the probe supporting frame member 2 is established.

[0041] On the other hand, the board supporting frame member 1 is supported by a driving mechanism which is advanced forward and retracted backward. The board supporting frame member 1 has a plurality of suction holes 11 which are open at a panel supporting surface and spacedly arranged in array in a longitudinal direction. Two to four sides of the display board or the circuit board P are suckingly retained by the suction holes 11 so that the board P is attachable and detachable.

[0042] The frame materials 12 to 15 composing the probe supporting frame member 2 are retracted to enlarge the opening portion 16 defined by the frame materials 12 to 15. And the board supporting frame member 1 is relatively advanced. Due to advancement of the board supporting frame member 1, the display board or the circuit board P is protruded forward of a distal end of the terminal 4 of the probe block B through the enlarged opening portion 16, so that the display board or the circuit board P supported on the board supporting frame member 1 can be exchanged.

[0043] Under most ordinary practice, the relative advancement of the board supporting frame member 1 is made by directly protruding the board supporting frame member 1 forward. However, there are two other methods in one of which the probe supporting frame member 2 is retracted backward to protrude the board supporting frame member 1 forward and in the remaining one of which both the probe supporting frame member 2 and the board supporting frame member 1 are moved to protrude the board supporting frame member 1 forward.

[0044] The procedure for attaching, inspecting and exchanging the display board or the circuit board P using the cross assembled probe supporting frame member 2 will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 7, when the frame material 12 is advanced on the open surface in the X axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 13 is also moved in the X axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 13 is advanced on the open surface in the Y axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 14 is also moved in the Y axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 14 is advanced on the open surface in the X axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 15 is also moved in the X axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 15 is advanced on the open surface in the Y axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 12 is also moved in the Y axis direction through the cross assembly portion. Thus, due to the movement mentioned above, the opening portion 16 of the probe supporting frame member 2 is reduced to form a board inspection position.

[0046] After the probe supporting frame member 2 is reduced to the board inspection position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the board supporting frame member 1 is advanced in a direction orthogonal to the open surface of the frame member 2 from the rear standby position, the electrode pads 3 of the board P are press contacted with the corresponding terminals 4 and inspection is carried out in that state.

[0047] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the frame material 12 is retracted on the open surface in the X axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 13 is also moved in the X axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 13 is retracted on the open surface in the Y axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 14 is also moved in the Y axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 14 is retracted on the open surface in the X axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 15 is also moved in the X axis direction through the cross assembly portion. When the frame material 15 is retracted on the open surface in the Y axis direction by the driving mechanism, the frame material 12 is also moved in the Y axis direction through the cross assembly portion. Thus, due to the movement mentioned above, the opening portion 16 of the probe supporting frame member 2 is enlarged to form a board exchange position.

[0048] After the probe supporting frame member 2 is retracted to the board exchange position, as shown in FIGS. 4(C) and 3, the board supporting frame member 1 is advanced in a direction orthogonal to the opening surface of the frame member 2 from the board standby position, so that at least the board P is protruded through the enlarged opening portion 16 to a position where it does not interfere with the distal end of the terminal 4. And the board is exchanged to new one in that state.

[0049] According to the present invention, the display board or the circuit board can be exchanged generally in an occupation space at the time of inspection, and no side space for exchange, which is required in the prior art, is needed, and an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board can greatly be miniaturized.

[0050] While one preferred embodiment of an apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board according to the present invention has thus far been described with reference to the drawings, it should be borne in mind that such an embodiment is merely illustrative of the gist of the present invention and is accordingly subject to modification and change. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for inspecting a display board or a circuit board comprising a probe supporting frame member arranged in a front part and adapted to support an inspection probe block thereon, and a board supporting frame member arranged at a rear part and adapted to support a display board or a circuit board thereon, said board supporting frame member arranged on a rear part and said probe block supporting frame member arranged on a front part being relatively movably arranged for advancement and retraction, an inspection terminal of said inspection probe block being press contacted for inspection with an electrode pad of said display board or said circuit board by relative advancement of said board supporting frame member, wherein said probe block supporting frame member is of an enlargable and reducible structure, said probe block supporting frame member is enlarged and said board supporting frame member is relatively advanced, and by the relative advancement of said board supporting frame member, said display board or said circuit board is caused to protrude forward of a distal end of said terminal of said probe block through an enlarged opening portion of said probe supporting frame member, so that said display board or said circuit board supported on said board supporting frame member can be exchanged. 